A&H

Returning from injury

Matthew

RefChat Addict
Hi all,

Used to be a regular poster on the forum, but have taken a long break whilst out injured. Long story short, I tore my abductor and damaged my hip and reffed through the discomfort for more than a year (I have a high pain threshold and hadn't realised it was anything other than a tweak), before finally having to stop reffing in February 2018. I've had over 40 physio sessions and minor surgery since then, but have now been running pain free for over two months.

I've taken the plunge and am refereeing a friendly tomorrow night. I'm pain free and think I'm ready, but I won't know until I step onto the pitch whether the injury has fully healed.

I've kept up to date with the law changes and attended the sin bin workshop, so no issues there. Does anyone have any tips on how to ease myself in or on recovery after games following an injury lay off? This is the first injury I've had in 12 years, so never had to come back before.

Thanks!
 
The Referee Store
Good luck. Look after yourself.

You must know your own body well after rehab. Work on warm up routine that works for you and don't let anything stop you doing it!
 
Does anyone have any tips on how to ease myself in or on recovery after games following an injury lay off?

Don't overdue it, and keep following the advice you got about ongoing exercises for where you were injured. (It's really easy to feel good and stopping doing them--especially as we age (I don't know how old you are), it's easy to have setbacks if we push too hard too soon.)
 
Welcome back.
As has been posted previously do both a warm-Up and a cool down 😄
In my experience, the warm up should be !ong enough so to raise the heart rate and get the oxygenated blood to the muscles,preparing them for the vigorous activity they will endure in any given match situation
The cool down after the game should be long enough as to return the heart rate to its pre activity rate.
in relation to easing yourself into refereeing, be selective with the game's you do,if this is possible.
 
Warm up......stretch, cool down

This. ^ ^

At age 26, your muscles and sinews are in their prime so stretching before and after exercise is important but not as crucial as it is for us old farts whose recovery is slower. :D Whatever you do warm-up wise, just make sure it's a gradual build-up. Regarding your injury, just make sure you give yourself enough time to undertake whatever specific exercises your rehab/physio gave you to do I guess.

I always find it helpful to try and stay on my feet for as long as possible right after a match to avoid stiffness. This is especially true if you have to drive for more than say, 15 mins to get home. ;)
 
Agree with everything others have said.

Cooling down is one thing I never do, I know I should but feel a bit of a plank doing laps of the pitch after the match has finished
 
This. ^ ^

At age 26, your muscles and sinews are in their prime so stretching before and after exercise is important but not as crucial as it is for us old farts whose recovery is slower. :D Whatever you do warm-up wise, just make sure it's a gradual build-up. Regarding your injury, just make sure you give yourself enough time to undertake whatever specific exercises your rehab/physio gave you to do I guess.

I always find it helpful to try and stay on my feet for as long as possible right after a match to avoid stiffness. This is especially true if you have to drive for more than say, 15 mins to get home. ;)

Whats the advice if your muscles are just snap, crackle and pop???
 
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Thanks for the helpful replies all! Got through a 15 minute warm up and did my usual cool down when I got home (2k on the exercise bike and foam roller).

Two pens and two red cards, so a nice uneventful return :hmmm: It's good to be back!
 
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